Redwood City, city, seat of San Mateo County, western California, a deepwater port on western San Francisco Bay, at the mouth of Redwood Creek; incorporated 1867. It has modern harbor facilities and industries that produce electronic equipment, wire, chemicals, and processed foods. In the city are a junior college, several marinas, and a large oceanarium. The area was first settled during the California gold rush; the community was laid out in 1854 and grew as a redwood lumbering center (hence its name). Population 54,951 (1980); 66,072 (1990); 75,402 (2000).
